1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a clothes-adjusting apparatus, and more particularly, to a clothes-adjusting apparatus for adjusting the dimension of the waist of a skirt, trousers, and the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
FIG. 8 shows an example of a conventional skirt 1. The skirt 1 includes a slide fastener 2 having teeth 2a and 2b that engage with each other to close an open portion 3. A locking member 5 is provided on a waistband of the skirt 1 at a position opposite to a fastener stop portion 4 of the slide fastener 2. The locking member 5 includes a male member 5a and a female member 5b that couple with each other when the open portion 3 is closed. To vary the circumferential dimension of the waist of the skirt 1, it is necessary to remove the male member 5a and the female member 5b from the waistband and sew them at a different position on the waistband.
With respect to conventional clothes such as a skirt 1, the installing position of the member 5 can be changed only to the extent that teeth 2a and 2b of the slide fastener 2 can still engage each other. That is, if the position of the male member 5a and that of the female member 5b are shifted too far from each other, the teeth 2a and 2b of the slide fastener 2 cannot engage. As a result, the waist size of clothing such as the skirt 1 can be adjusted only within a very narrow range.
The present invention provides a clothes-adjusting apparatus capable of easily and liberally adjusting the dimension of the waist of a clothing, such as a skirt, trousers or the like.
The clothes-adjusting apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention provides a waist band member; a dimension-adjusting part defined by overlapping one end portion of the band member over the other end portion of the band member; a first cloth member joined to the band member and extending from one end portion of the band member toward the other end portion of the band member near the dimension-adjusting part; and a second cloth member that is provided in the dimension-adjusting part having one edge joined to the other end portion of the band member and having another edge joined to the first cloth member.
When an overlapping length of the one end portion of the band member and the other end portion thereof is decreased, the first and second cloth member unfold from each other and together make up an outer surface of the clothes. On the other hand, when the overlapping length is increased to a maximum overlap, the second cloth member preferably folds behind the first cloth member and only the first cloth member defines the outer surface of the skirt. The clothes-adjusting apparatus also preferably includes a third cloth member interposed between a rear surface of the first cloth member and a front surface of the second cloth member such that one edge of the third cloth member is joined to one end portion of the band member and another edge joined to a vertical edge of the first cloth member.
The preferred embodiment also may preferably include a slide fastener provided in the dimension-adjusting part, a joining portion provided in the dimension-adjusting part by joining together the second cloth member and the third cloth member starting from a position proximate to a fastener stop portion of the slide fastener to the one edge of the first cloth member, and a locking device provided at a position opposed to the joining portion of the dimension-adjusting part such that the locking position can vary in a circumferential direction of the band member.
Many advantages are achieved by preferred embodiments of the present invention. For one, because the decrease and increase of the overlapping length of the one end portion of the band member and the other end portion thereof is absorbed by the clothes-adjusting apparatus and the first and second cloth members, the function of the slide fastener is not hindered. Accordingly, unlike the conventional clothes-adjusting apparatus, the clothes-adjusting apparatus of preferred embodiments of the present invention is capable of adjusting the circumferential length of the band member in a wide range without changing the installing position of the fastening device.
Second, because the slide fastener is not exposed to the outside, the clothes appear more attractive. When a user takes off the clothes, the user unlocks the locking devices from the band member and unzips the slide fastener to separate one end portion of the band member and the other end portion thereof from each other, resulting in a large opening. Thus, it becomes easy for the user to take on and off the clothes. When the user puts on the clothes, the user zips the slide fastener, and locks one end portion of the band member and the other end portion thereof to the locking device while wearing the clothes. Moreover, in the event the user forgets to zip the slide fastener, his or her under garment cannot be seen from the outside.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, the locking device includes a male member provided in the dimension-adjusting part and located on a rear surface of the one end portion of the band member; a guide belt formed on a surface of the band member such that the guide belt is proximate to the other end portion of the band member in the circumferential direction thereof; and a female member installed on the guide belt such that the female member is movable in a circumferential direction of the band member and engaging the male member to removably lock the one and other end portions of the band member thereto. It is possible to adjust the circumferential length of the band member by displacing the female member in the longitudinal direction of the band member. Accordingly, this preferred embodiment makes it possible to adjust the circumferential length of the band member in a wide range.
According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the female member includes an installing portion slidably installed on the guide belt; a concave portion for locking the male member thereto; and a hooking claw member removably locking a plurality of projections formed at predetermined intervals on the guide belt. The female member is installed on the guide belt such that it is slidable in a circumferential direction. The user can hook the hooking claw member to any one of the desired projections of the guide belt.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, the hooking claw member is pivotal in a direction in which the hooking claw member separates from the projection of the guide belt, with the hooking claw member being resistively urged that locks the projection thereto. When the user alters the locking position of the female member, the user unlocks the projection from the hooking claw member by pivoting the hooking claw member against the resistive force. The user can hook the hooking claw member to the projection securely because the hooking claw member is always resistively urged toward the projection.
According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the locking member includes a male member positioned in the dimension-adjusting part and provided on a rear surface of the one end portion of the band member; and a plurality of female members formed at predetermined intervals on a surface of the band member. The user can adjust the circumferential length of the band member by hooking the male member to any one of the female members provided on the band.
According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, a pocket for accommodating a small article such as handkerchief is defined by a space surrounded by the band member, the slide fastener, and the joining portion such that the pocket is disposed between the second cloth member and the third cloth member. In this case, the dimension-adjusting part serves as a pocket, the clothes are functional, easy to use, and attractive.
According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, a length of an open portion of the pocket is less than an entire length of the slide fastener to prevent an article from dropping from the pocket. In this preferred embodiment, the opening of the pocket is set less than the entire length of the slide fastener. Thus, an article can be prevented from dropping from the pocket unless the use takes it out intentionally.
The above and further objects, features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will be more fully apparent from the following detailed description with the accompanying drawings.